Stranger
by Thats a dinosaur
Summary: After a fight with Black Doom, Shadow finds himself stranded in a foreign world. There he meets a girl who reminds him of Maria, and the other side of the ebony hedgehog is finaly shown. Now rated T for some future violance and blood. I have the image of Rellet done, and posted it as the cover image. I am quite proud of it.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sonic the Hedgehog characters, SEGA does.**

**Note: This does not have to do with the Shadow the Hedgehog game, for I have yet to get it. I can't wait to though…**

* * *

Shadow could see his reflection in the shining metal floor as he fell to the ground, clutching his crimson emerald in his hand. In his mind, he knew that this was it. It was over. Black Doom stood over him, a long black sword with a barbed tip raised above him, preparing to strike.

"Chaos…control…" Shadow was barely able to mutter before the sword impaled him. He couldn't keep using Chaos control to escape Black Doom, and he knew it. Shadow looked up to see the sword once again swinging toward him.

"Chaos-" Shadow winced as a crippling pain split his side. He looked outside the window of space colony ARK, his gaze lingering on the planet he had saved from Gerald Robotnick. "Control…" he wheezed out just as the sword crushed the metal beneath his feet.

Black Doom laughed menacingly. "You cannot win, Shadow the Hedgehog. Surrender and I may grant you your life."

A smile twitched across Shadows mouth. There is only one option left… he thought as he looked at his wrists. It was a gamble, but he had to try. His inhibitor rings fell to the ground as a surge of energy raged through his body, starting at his head and ending at the tip of his tail. He knew that it was another gamble, but he pulled out his blood red emerald which was now glowing profoundly, and said with a new gained confidence, "Chaos control!"

There was an explosion of white light that engulfed the two rivals, blinding them. Then there was only the void of space.

Shadow awoke; lying sprawled out in the middle of a wheat field. He jumped up, snapping to attention, and looked around for Black Doom. When he saw no one, he relaxed slightly. He also noticed that his inhibitor rings had made their way back onto his wrists and ankles, each one in the right place.

He then looked around with a frown and realized that where ever he was, it wasn't Mobius.

* * *

**This is a short prologue, sorry bout' that. Anyways, read it, review it, and hopefully like it.**

**That is a dinosaur, signing out. **


	2. Dreams long gone

**Well, I have finally got my second Chapter out so, enjoy! (dont worry, its longer that the first one)**

* * *

Shadow stood there for a while, staring into the sun which was slowly setting over the field he had landed in. He then pulled out his emerald, only to see it had lost its shine and color. The hedgehog drew back in surprise, not expecting the emerald to have such a lifeless color.

He quickly stashed the gem away in his quills, and small sparks started to gather around his shoes. There was a sonic boom as Shadow raced away, a small trail of scorched crops following wherever he went. "That's who I am." Shadow thought aloud, bitterness in his voice. "I am destruction."

After what seemed like hours on end of running through the endless field, Shadow slowed. Ahead of him was a long winding road that stretched beyond where the eye could see, and there was a large metallic monstrosity heading straight for him. He ducked out of the way, only to have to jump to avoid another one of these monsters. He then caught a glimpse inside of one, only to see strange beings that looked nothing like him, other than the fact that they were a general humanoid shape.

Shadow heard a loud honking sound as one of the things flew past him, kicking up dust in his face. He stumbled over to the side of the road, and into the field once more. After rubbing his eyes for a while Shadow decided to flee whatever these things he had encountered were. He would have destroyed them with chaos control, but now that the emerald had no power, neither did he. The hedgehog blazed through the field, looking for some sign as to where he was. The endless maze of corn and wheat came to a halt as Shadow burst from it, coming to a halt before a large oak tree.

As he looked out over the horizon, he came to the realization that it was nearly night, and Shadow didn't want to get lost in the darkness of night. He took a few steps back from the oak tree and then charged at it, running up it until he found a thick branch. Shadow clung to the branch, pulling himself up and laying down on it, using the mighty trunk of the tree as a headrest. Soon the hedgehog had fallen into a deep sleep.

Before he knew it, the sun was rising in the east and Shadow's eyes slid open, revealing his crimson pupils. The hedgehog jumped from branch to branch until, far out on the horizon, he saw the dark silhouette of a small farm house, most likely the owner of the fields he had been aimlessly wandering around. He dropped from the tree, landing in a sprint. Maybe the owners of the house could tell him where he was and how he could get back to Morbius.

Shadow raced across field after field, and came across a couple of roads where he had to once again dodge the metallic beasts. He hadn't realized how far away the house actually was until when he reached it, the sky was dark once more. Shadow looked around for a place to sleep until morning, when his eyes fell upon a small fort sitting upon a tree with boards nailed into it.

"Perfect." He said to himself as he expertly climbed up the ladder. Shadow looked around the small room, and settled down in a dark corner that was near the exit, just in case he had to make a quick escape. As he fell asleep once more, his mind was plagued by nightmares. It was the same gruesome scene as always. He and Maria were running down a dimly lit hall, away from the guards that were chasing them. But it was to no avail.

"Maria!" Shadow called out, waking up to see a face staring into his. He recoiled in shock, falling out the hole in the floor and landing at the base of the tree. He swore quietly as he looked up the trunk of the oak and into the fort. He could now see the face again, a small girl with long blonde hair that now dangled out of one of the many windows of the wooden structure as she looked at him with a mixture of confusion and awe.

She then disappeared for a moment, only to start to climb down the ladder toward Shadow. He looked around in panic, searching for a hiding place to get away from this girl. The hedgehog started to run for what looked like a cellar when the girl spoke.

"Wait Mister… don't go!" she cried out. Shadow slowly stopped. That voice… it sounded like…

"Maria?" he asked after a moment's hesitation.

She stared at him. "Sir why do you keep saying that name?" she asked him, crushing his hopes that she was somehow in fact his long lost friend.

Shadows hung his head. "Thought you were someone else." He grunted, turning his head away from her. He started to run off again when the girl let out a small gasp.

"Wait a minute! Your that weird alien from the news right?" she asked him, her eyes wide open and her mouth agape.

Shadow crossed his arms. "Well, I'm not sure what this 'news' is you talk of, but it is clear that this world is not Morbius… so yes, it's safe to bet I am." He said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Well then come on!" she exclaimed, making the hedgehog jump slightly. "My mum's almost done with dinner, you should stay!"

Shadow began to decline when she ran toward him, grabbing him by the arm and dragging him inside. "I'm not taking no for an answer." She stated matter of factly.

Shadow sighed. This was going to be a hard day.

* * *

**So, thats all for this chapter. R&R, im not sure weather to ditch this story or not...**

**thats a dinosaur, signing out.**


	3. names and hopes

…**Wow. Frankly I didn't expect to get reviews so soon… but I have to say thanks to the five people who did, so thank you! You gave me motivation not to ditch it!**

**Annywho on with the story!**

* * *

Before they reached the girls front door, they stopped suddenly as she stuck out her hand. "Oh sorry I forgot to tell you! My name's Eileen. What's yours?" she asked as the ebony hedgehog reluctantly shook her hand.

"My name's Shadow. Shadow the Hedgehog." He told her, while somewhere in the world a fangirl died of excitement.

"Well then Shadow, come on inside dinners almost done!" Eileen pushed open a screen door to reveal a well lit room with a large mahogany table in the middle of it, a person slightly taller than Eileen with short black hair stacking food on a pair of plates placed on either side of the round table.

"Come on in Eileen, I'm about to serve dinner!" the older woman told Eileen, not noticing the stranger in the house. She walked over to what Shadow assumed to be the refrigerator, and then paused. She looked back at Eileen, eyes squinted slightly. "Eileen… who is that?" she asked, pointing a trembling finger toward the hedgehog. She then realized who it was and grabbed the girl, pulling her away from a now very confused Shadow. "Eileen! That's that hedgehog from the news! They said it might be lethal!" she whispered urgently into her daughter's ear.

Eileen rolled her eyes and pulled away from her mom, returning to Shadow's side. "Mother, this is Shadow. I met him in the treehouse, I guarantee you he isn't dangerous in any way."

The hedgehog smirked slightly as he heard this. If only they knew…

"Besides, he's been traveling alone without food, just let him stay for dinner, please?" she begged her mom as Shadow stood there awkwardly scratching behind his head, not knowing what to do.

Eileen's mother's shoulders drooped slightly as she sighed. "Well alright. But how do you know this… things name anyway?" she asked.

Shadow widened his grin. "It may have to do with the fact that I can talk." He stated, waiting to see the woman's reaction. He made sure and caught her as she fainted right then and there.

* * *

While her mother was out cold, Eileen told Shadow all about her mom Linda, her Dad Simon, who had to go off to fight in the war, and how she went about living every day. She explained to him the concept of school, which he had never heard of, and what she did for fun every day. Shadow soon found himself fascinated by the simplicity of these 'humans' lifestyles. On Mobius he usually worked 24/7, following Dr. Eggman's every order.

They heard a groan from the bedroom where Shadow had put Eileen's mother. He glanced over to see her leaning against the doorframe, looking at the black hedgehog. "You're really him, eh? The one from the news." She asked him once again. "It's funny, on TV you appeared more… blue."

Shadow's head snapped up. Did she just say blue? "Could I see the footage please?" he asked her, his eyes staring straight into hers.

"W-well sure thing, I'm sure it's still on the news." She walked over to the television and switched it on. The news came blaring on as Shadow jumped.

Eileen gave him a funny look. "Shadow," she said "you look like you've never seen a TV before."

He looked up at her. "It's a long story but no, I haven't."

Her mom jumped up, startling the hedgehog once more. "here it's on it's on!

Shadow looked at the picture, only to look away in disappointment. He could see the trail of fire and sparks flying out of the slightly blue-black blurs shoes. A small tear slid down his muzzle. "That's all I need to see." He said coldly, brushing away the tear.

Eileen looked at him with worry. "Shadow what's wrong?" she asked him.

The way he saw it, he had no choice but to tell these people his story. He told them about Mobius, Dr. Eggmann, Sonic and his friends, the Chaos Emeralds, his inhibitor rings, and then came to his previous fight with Black Doom. "But in this world," he explained, pulling out the lifeless emerald, "my gem holds no power. So, therefore I am stuck here. If that had been Sonic he might have had a Chaos Emerald and been able to take me home." The only thing he didn't explain was Maria, that he just couldn't tell.

There was a moment of silence as the information sunk in to Eileen and Linda's brains. Then, Eileen's mom got up. "Well, if you're stuck here, you might as well enjoy yourself! I bet you're hungry after running all that way! The least I could do is give you a nice meal before you try to find another way home." She told him with a warm smile.

He got up. "Thank you for your hospitality, but I really should be going. The sooner I get home the better. After all Black Doom is still on the loose. There's no telling what he might do to Mobius…" he said to them, heading for the doorway. "Goodbye Eileen." He said with a small smile in her direction.

As he started to walk out the doorway, a shape charged at him, pinning him to the ground. Eileen sat on top of him, looking into his eyes. "Shadow, at least stay for dinner. You've been without food for a couple of days now after all."

Shadow grimaced. "How is this girl so strong?" He thought to himself. Then something occurred to him. Maybe he was just exceptionally weak, what with the emerald losing its power and all. In that case, he didn't want to be unprotected out in the middle of the night in a strange world.

"Well, I guess I can't argue with someone sitting on my back now can I?"

* * *

**Yup. Its decided. I am defiantly keeping this my #1 priority. **

**hehe. about the bit of humor in the begining of this chapter... I had just finished a Chapter of my Parody so I hadn't switched gears yet. Sorry bout' that.**

**Also as a side note, if you think of any chapter names, put them in a review and I may name them that. Naming chapters is my Achilles heel in writing. I would give that person credit, of course. **

**As usual, R&R!**

**That's a Dinosaur, signing out.**


	4. Laments and a spark

**Bear with me for the next week or so, there will probably be no more updates after this for a while…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shadow or any other Sonic Team characters that may be mentioned in this story, SEGA does. **

**Onward!**

* * *

Shadow's eye twitched slightly with annoyance. "Cat food. You plan on feeding me cat food?" he glanced up at Linda, who scratched her head.

"I read online that hedgehogs love cat food, but then again you are no ordinary hedgehog are you…" she said with a slight laugh as she dumped the brownish clumps into the garbage.

The hedgehog shuttered. "If it's no burden I'll just have what your having." He told her, ignoring Eileen's laughter from the other side of the table.

She set down a plate full of strange foods that Shadow hadn't even ever dreamt of, let alone eaten. He prodded a heap of fluffy yellow-white with a fork, butter running down the sides of the mountain of… whatever they were. After some explaining from Eileen Shadow now knew what the foods he saw were called: Mashed Potatoes, Peas, and Carrots, the last of which Shadow knew as Creams favorite snack. After stabbing at one of the small green spheres for a while, the hedgehog gave up and instead tried the 'Potatoes'.

A vein pulsed in Shadow's head. "Please. I am not a zoo exhibit, so therefore there is no need to watch me eat my… meal." He looked down at the plate, not sure if it even deserved that title.

Eileen quickly looked away, and her mother gave a small chuckle. "S-sorry Shadow." She said, gulping down a large bite.

After dinner Shadow looked outside. "It's getting dark, I'd better be heading off." he turned to Eileen and Linda. "It's been a pleasure, thanks for the meal."

"Wait Shadow!" Linda called out to him. "It is getting pretty dark, so you should just stay here for the night! We have an open bedroom upstairs after all."

Shadow hesitated. "You have shown me enough hospitality for a lifetime and I thank you for that. But now I must go, I have to find a way home."

Eileen thought for a second, then got an idea. "We could always help you look for a way home!" she looked at him and smiled sweetly. "After all my dad left behind his plane that he always used to dust the crops!"

"A bird's eye view would make it easier to find whatever it is I'm looking for…" Shadow thought aloud.

Linda smiled. "Well then it's settled! Here I'll lead you to your room!" she placed a hand on the hedgehogs shoulder and led him up a flight of stairs, and into a small room with one octagon-shaped window and a small bed.

He smiled at her. "Thanks again for your hospitality." Then it struck him. This was the first time he had been polite or nice ever since… Maria. He found that he liked it and thought, maybe being stuck on this strange planet hadn't been a curse after all. He then swept the thoughts away, shutting the door behind him and sitting on the edge of the bed.

After hours of tossing and turning, Shadow leaped out of bed, eyes wide with fear. The clock on the wall read 12:07. It had been the same dream again. He walked over to the window, staring at the wide open field outside. The hedgehog then flung it open, clutching his head in anger. "Why does this vision continue to haunt me?" he whispered as to not wake up Eileen or her mom. Shadow jumped out, landing in a crouch on a small grassy hill.

As he sat there, staring up at the moon, he couldn't help but think that maybe there was no way back. What if he was stuck in this foreign place forever? He sighed as his head drooped. The probability of that being true was sadly greater than him going home. Shadow felt a hand on his shoulder and jumped as Eileen sat down next to him.

"I know you think there's no hope left Shadow, but we can find you a way home, I'm sure of it!" she told him, a smile growing on her face. They sat there in silence for a while, admiring the full moon that loomed above their heads when Eileen broke it once more. "Shadow?"

"Hm?"

She looked up at him. "When we met yesterday, you called me something, what was it?"

The hedgehog looked at her for a moment. "Maria…" he told Eileen. He looked back up to the moon.

"Is that someone from Mobius?" she asked, her curiosity growing. When he nodded Eileen asked Shadow to say who she was.

The ebony hedgehog went on to explain everything about her, everything except the last moment he saw her… living that is.

Eileen smiled once more. "She sounds nice, you're lucky to have her." Shadow nodded his head in agreement. "I'm sure you miss her greatly Shadow, but don't worry, once you go back you can see her again."

A small tear slid down the hedgehog's cheek, wetting his lap as it seeped into his quills. "Yea. I do miss her." He looked down to see Eileen's head resting on his lap, her breathing heavy as she slept. Shadow sighed. Her actions, her looks, everything about her reminded him of Maria.

As Shadow looked on across the field, he felt something in his chest. Hope.

* * *

**Annnd that's all! Sorry, but like I said I can't update for a while longer, so please stick with me!**

**Also, a little add on to the Disclaimer; the whole thing with the cat food is from Sonic X, which also belongs to SEGA. **

**Remember to R&R!**

**-that's a dinosaur, signing out for a while.**


	5. hope, the two sided coin

… **I honestly have nothing to say.**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Shadow the hedgehog or any other Sonic character in this story, SEGA does.**_

* * *

Shadow sat upon the wing of the bi-plane as it flew through the air, the hedgehog's eyes scanning the ground.

"See anything?" Linda called over from the cockpit, her voice being torn away by the wind.

He shook his head, still searching diligently. Eileen was in the co-pilot seat, craning her head over the edge of the plane to look for herself. Then her eyes widened as she cried out, "Shadow! I see something shining over there!"

The hedgehog whipped around and saw it for himself, something glowing on a hilltop. He dived off the plane and hit the ground running, leaving the aircraft far behind. The hilltop loomed above him as he looked up the side of it, small flickers of hope in his heart. Shadow stepped back, and then charged at the cliff, running straight up the side and grabbing the ledge. As he pulled himself over, the plane landed itself next to him with a screech, Eileen hopping out and running over to him.

"Did you find anything?" she questioned him, looking hopeful.

The ebony hedgehog shook his head slowly, turning to face the setting sun, not able to look at it anymore. On the ground lay a large chunk of torn and slightly singed metal, but there was one word printed on it in shining yellow letters. ARK. Eileen looked confused. "Shadow," she asked him. "do you recognize this? You look a little… distraught."

Shadow could taste bile in his mouth. "Space colony ARK." He said, his voice full of mockery and resentment. "It's the place where I was born. It's also the place that I fought Black Doom right before I came here." He fingered his inhibitor rings, spinning them around his wrist when a pair of arms flung themselves around him, making the hedgehog stumble a bit. Eileen held the ebony hedgehog close to her, sighing slightly.

"Don't worry Shadow, we'll find a way to get you home." The hedgehog pulled away quickly.

"Did you hear that?" he asked the girl, who looked at him oddly.

"Hear what Sh-" then she heard something. It was a crackling sound, like stepping on leaves in the fall. Or like those leaves burning.

Shadow felt a wave of heat hit him as he ran to the edge of the cliff. Down below a small portion of the field was ablaze, and it was spreading fast.

"Quickly! We have to go!" Shadow yelled to Eileen, helping her into the plane. Linda started up the engine, a cloud of black smoke billowing out from the front.

"Something's wrong! I can't get it to start!" Eileen's mom yelled to the two, a look of panic on her face.

Something made Shadow look back at the small piece of shrapnel from space colony ARK, and when he did he noticed a faint glowing light from underneath it. He quickly jumped off the plane, dashing toward the fragment. As he slid the piece of metal over, he inhaled sharply. A small sliver of an emerald, not even enough to call a shard, was halfway buried under the ground. Shadow recognized it as the emerald that Black Doom had, a pale blue one.

Shadow scooped it up and ran over to Eileen and Linda. "Quick! Take my hand!" he told the two, trying to sound confident. As the flames grew higher, licking the edge of the hill, he knew this might kill him. An emerald fragment of this size barely held any power, so he would have to use most of his own. "Chaos control!" he yelled, a white light surrounding them.

* * *

He awoke to Eileen and Linda standing over him, looking concerned. "Is he gonna be alright?" Eileen asked her mom, a frightened look in her eyes.

"I have no idea Eileen…" Linda told her daughter, holding her close.

Shadow groaned, lying up slowly. He clutched his head, trying to convince himself that it hadn't been blown off. "Wh-what happened?" he asked slowly, his memory failing him.

Eileen looked at the hedgehog with a worried look on her face. "You saved us Shadow. One minute we were at the hill, then somehow we were at home. We dialed the fire department and they used helicopters and fire trucks to put out the fire."

Shadow's memories came flooding back to him. Chaos control. Sometimes he wished he had no idea what it even meant. He opened up his clenched fist to see the emerald sliver, the glow casting an eerie blue wash in the room.

Eileen looked at him. "What's that Shadow?" she asked him picking up the piece.

"That Eileen, is a piece of a Chaos Emerald." Shadow told her, causing a look of disbelief to spring onto her face.

"But I thought you said the emeralds have no power here?" she told him, her confusion shared among the three.

"Well, that's what I thought too…" Shadow trailed off as a thought hit him. "I really can't stay here." He told the two, who rolled their eyes. They were used to his little 'I can't stay here' speeches. They never worked.

"If this emerald of Black Doom's made it through, he most likely did too." Shadow told them. "And if he is here he won't stop until he has me dead. To him your lives are nothing; he will take them without a second thought. He is pure evil." He ended his monologue by looking out the window. "I even suspect this fire was his doing." There was a silence as the information sunk in, then Linda said something that startled them all.

"Well then." She said, getting up. "I guess we have no choice but to move away from here now do we?"

Eileen was wondering if this was all a big hallucination from the smoke. "You want to what now?" she asked her mom, a look of disbelief on her face.

* * *

**Haha. **

**Still nothing to say.**

**-that's a dinosaur, signing out.**


	6. The departure

**Haha! I'm back! Now, I know the last chapter was a tad bit rushed, I will most likely go back and re-write that… but anywho, on with the story!**

* * *

The last box slid into the moving truck as Shadow wiped the sweat from his brow. They had rented big truck to pack all of Eileen's and her mom's belongings into for moving. Linda had chosen to move to a large city not very far from where they lived, after consulting with her husband over the phone. He told her that he regretted not being able to be there when they moved, but he had a mission that he had to go on the next day.

Eileen was on the big hill behind their house, looking out over the partially charred fields. Shadow frowned as he walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Shadow… I've lived here all my life… I can't bear to see it go." She told him, her eyes watering slightly. Shadow gave a simple response.

"I can relate."

Eileen finally sat down, her head in her hands, tears seeping between her fingers. Shadow sat down next to her, unsure of what to do. The only girl he had ever been next to that was crying was Amy, and that was usually out of joy because she thought she found Sonic. He awkwardly placed his arm around her, looking back to catch Linda's eyes who rushed over seeing Shadow's desperation.

"Eileen it'll be fun, just think of it as a brand new adventure! You get to explore New York; it's a huge city after all!" Linda tried to console her daughter as she wept.

* * *

After a while, Eileen calmed down, walking back into the house to get the remainder of her belongings. Shadow started to get directions to New York; seeing as how he didn't yet trust these 'cars'.

"Are you sure you can run all the way to the city Shadow?" Linda questioned the hedgehog, who gave her a thumbs-up.

"Trust me, I've ran much farther than this before!" he replied, thinking of the days he spent racing around Space colony ARK.

As he began to race off down the long winding dirt road, he couldn't help but think that this was all his fault. If he had left Eileen and her mother, Black Doom wouldn't have given them a reason to move away; and Eileen would have been much happier. The moving van pulled up next to Shadow, and Eileen waved at him, grinning to ear to ear. Shadow smiled back, slowing down to match the van's speed. He dismissed the thoughts from earlier. Eileen seemed plenty happy, despite her breakdown that morning.

They went like that for a while, riding side by side, when Eileen opened the window and yelled, "SHADOW! LOOK OUT!"

Shadow's head snapped back to the road ahead of him to see a car racing straight for him. He panicked for a second, and then to his horror, did the only thing he could think to do: he flung himself into the window of the moving van.

He straightened up, looking at Eileen, who had both of her hands over her mouth, a shocked look on her face. Shadow merely chuckled, crossing his arms. The van then hit a small bump in the road, making the hedgehog stumble and bumping a wall, causing a cascade of boxes to rain down onto him. Eileen started to giggle, then burst out laughing as Shadow pulled himself out of the pile, shaking his head.

"I hate cars."

* * *

**Hm. This chapter's rather short isn't it? Ah well. **

**R&R!**

**That's a dinosaur, signing out.**


	7. Suitcases are evil

**Aha! Thank you Fanfiction! They finally made it so you can post chapters from your iPod! **

**Onward!**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Shadow the hedgehog nor any other Sonic characters, SEGA does. **_

* * *

As they pulled into the city, Shadow and Eileen both had their face against the window, gasping in amazement. Neither of them had seen buildings as tall as these in their life, and they didn't want to miss a second of merely chuckled in amusement, having gone to the city a couple of times with Simon before he left.

"I never knew buildings could be this… tall." The hedgehog stated.

Linda smiled. "Wait till you see this." She pointed up ahead over the traffic to a huge building, its top coming together at a pointed stop. "That Shadow, is the Empire State building."

Shadow was in awe. Eileen had mentioned the building once before, but he never expected it to be _that_ tall. He quickly rolled down a window and started to get out when Eileen gave him a questioning look.

"Shadow, what are you doing?" she asked the hedgehog, who looked back and smiled.

"You don't expect me to just sit around in this van all day and not go exploring do you?" he asked Eileen, who quickly pulled him back in.

"Someone might see you!" she protested. "Who knows what kind of things they'll do if the government gets a hold of you! Besides, how will we know where to meet you?"

"I already know your new address." The hedgehog said with a casual shrug. "I'll just meet you there. And don't worry about people catching me; I seriously doubt they can." Linda glanced back with concern.

"I'm with Eileen on this one Shadow, I'm sure that everyone wants to capture you so that they can perform tests and whatnot."

Shadow gave a sigh of defeat. He was outnumbered. "Eventually I'm going to be spotted, why not make it now?" he didn't wait for an answer, and instead sat down, closing his eyes.

* * *

A word wasn't spoken until they reached their new apartment, which was located on the 34th floor of a 50 story building. Shadow looked out the window of the van to make sure no one was watching, then quickly dashed up to the top of the building. Convinced that no one saw him, Shadow lowered his guard slightly, looking out along the city. You could barely see the sun over the monstrous towers that loomed over them, the sunlight peeking through small gaps in between the buildings.

A door was flung open behind him, and the hedgehog ducked for the shadows, not knowing who it was.

"Shadow?" Eileen softly called out. "Where are you?"

Shadow rose, letting out a sigh of relief. "Next time give me some warning Eileen, you half scared me to death!"

Eileen giggled quietly. "Sorry Shadow. Say, where are you going to sleep? It's not like you can just waltz down the hallway to our apartment after all."

Shadow hadn't thought about this. "Well," he mused, "if the doors not an option, I guess the window would be the next way to go…" he trailed off, looking over the edge of the building. "Chaos control is out a definite no, seeing as it would make me extraordinarily weak."

Linda popped out through the door, a smile on her face. "Shadow, I couldn't help but eavesdrop slightly, and I may have a way to get you in!" the smile on her face was starting to worry the hedgehog.

* * *

"Gah! I can barely breathe in here!" Shadow thought, his head in between his knees. At the time he was in a medium sized black suitcase, being dragged along Eileen's side.

"Just hold on tight Shadow, we'll be there in no time." She whispered to the suitcase.

They reached the room and after some fumbling with the keys, Linda opened it and ushered the two of them inside. They unzipped the suitcase to send Shadow tumbling out, landing on his back and staring at the ceiling.

He looked at Linda. "You people are absolutely insane!" he managed to yell, despite his lack of air.

Linda just winked at him.

* * *

**Meh, another short chapter. Ah well. **

**Hehe. Oh do I have plans for this story. Yes indeededo. Except for and ending, that I don't have…**

**That's a dinosaur, signing out. **


	8. What have I done

**Hehe sorry for the small delay. I had a major case of writers block.**

**I have a small request of the kind readers out there. While checking for new reviews I noticed that all of them are from the same people, and while I thank them, I'd like to get my story some fresh new readers too. So, if you know a good author on fanfiction, PM them and spread the word! **

**Now, onward!**

* * *

Shadow was starting to get impatient. He sat cross-legged on the sofa, the unpacked boxes towering over him. Eileen and her mom had left to get groceries at a small shop, and since a tall black hedgehog walking on two feet would get one or two odd glances, they left Shadow alone with his thoughts. His finger tapped the table next to him as he tried to think of a way to kill time. Or even better, a way to escape.

Finally the boredom grew too much and the dark hedgehog jumped up, running to the door. He slowly opened it a crack, his blood red eyes scanning the hallways. When he saw no one, he crept over to the elevator doors, hitting the up button silently. The doors slid open with a loud ding, causing the hedgehog to flinch and look around, expecting someone to be right around the corner. When he saw no one, he backed slowly into the elevator, letting out a sigh of relief.

He punched the roof button, causing the elevator to shoot up. The floor numbers grew higher as Shadow prayed that no one would get in the elevator with him, he couldn't see that ending well. The hedgehog's eyes grew wide as the numbers stopped climbing at 42, a mere 8 stories away from the roof. He looked around franticly, his eyes finally resting on the ceiling, where long light bulbs were protected by clear panels.

Shadow slipped one of the panels away, hopping into the small gap. He slid the panel back into place as an elderly woman walked in, hitting the ground floor button. He held back a wince as the lights burned his back and the panels grew hot underneath his hands. Luckily the lady hit the button for level 49, so they would stop before they got to the roof.

The pain caused Shadow to have a sudden flashback to his time aboard ARK, where Gerald Robotnick ran his dangerous tests against Shadow. He remembered the one specific time when his creator made him go through a huge obstacle course in thirty seconds or less. It was where he first met Maria; his mind was distracted as the hedgehog's gaze lingered on her for one second too long. Shadow's foot caught a small dip in the path, and he fell on his back onto heated metal.

As he got off, screaming in agony, he couldn't help but notice the girl watching on, her hands over her mouth and tears in her eyes. Robotnick, however, just looked on, a small frown on his face. Shadow was shocked by her tears; no one had ever shown sadness for the pain he was forced to endure. She gave the hedgehog the inspiration to keep going, and he finished the course in seventeen seconds.

Afterwards Shadow was in his room, if you could even call it that, laying on a long ice pack and wincing at the pain. His thoughts however were miles away, thinking of that girl he saw. She was different from the rest of the people here; kinder and more caring. The next day Shadow was forced to do another course, but the girl wasn't there. He found himself stumbling at every turn, falling at every bump. After he was finished Robotnick strolled up to him, stroking his long grey moustache.

"Shadow, I'm sorry to say this, but that was absolutely dreadful! I've never seen you mess up so badly!" he yelled at the hedgehog.

Shadow didn't even hear him. "Sir, may I have permission to ask a question?"

His creator sighed. "Go ahead." He said, shaking his head.

"There was someone here yesterday," he started out slowly, "a girl that I've never seen before. Who was it?" Shadow's eyes met the dark lenses of Robotnick's glasses.

The man rubbed his temples. "That was my grand-daughter, Maria. She wasn't supposed to be there during the test, but she snuck in anyways. If you do well tomorrow, I may let you meet her." He said, but the hedgehog's mind was gone.

"Maria… What a nice name…" he thought to himself

Robotnick stopped rubbing his head. It occurred to him now that Project: Shadow had done better during yesterdays tests when his grand-daughter was there. Perhaps she was the key to his creations success!

The man flashed a grin. "Perhaps Shadow, I can bring her to your tests tomorrow?"

Shadow snapped out of his trance. "Y-yes please sir." He said with a small smile. "I would like that."

True to his word, the next day the girl was there to encourage Shadow to do better through the course. He finished under ten seconds then walked up to Robotnick.

"What was the time sir?" he asked, panting from exhaustion.

His creator put his arm around Shadow and walked him over to a door, where the girl was standing in the corner looking at the hedgehog with a mixture of curiosity and fear on her face.

"Maria, I would like to introduce you to Project: Shadow, my latest plan to cure you!" the man said drawing up to his full height to make himself seem even more impressive.

The two exchanged there hellos, and as Robotnick left the two of them to talk, a quick friendship was made. Each day their friendship grew greater and greater, and as a result Shadow did better and better in his time trials. They were friends for the rest of his days aboard ARK until…

But no, that was too painful to think about. A small tear fell onto the panel the hedgehog was hiding on, evaporating with a small sizzle. The doors made a small sound as they slid open once more, the elderly woman inside strolling out. As the doors closed Shadow fell to the floor, the tears from the pain and his memories falling freely now. The elevator went up once more to the roof, where the dark hedgehog stumbled over to the edge, biting his tongue to keep from crying out in agony.

He looked over the edge to see Eileen and her mother surrounded by policemen, cuffs slapping on their wrists.

Shadow only heard the last part of the policeman's monologue. "- are under arrest for the hiding of an alien species wanted by the government. You have the right to remain silent."

The hedgehog reeled back. "What have I done.."

* * *

**Haha! I told you I had plans!****  
****And hip-hip-hooray for a longish chapter!****  
****See that big shiny button that says Review? Hit it!**

**-thats a dinosaur, signing out for now!**


	9. the Fall of the Bird

**Haha! Sorry for the slight delay on this chapter, my computer was acting strange… Also, I am terribly sorry, but I have made a huge mistake as a writer. I left out important details! I really never specified how old Eileen was, but she is supposed to be around nine. Thanks to TheMidnightEclipse for unknowingly bringing it to my attention.  
**

**Also, I can't help but cheer because its this story's 1 month anniversary! YAY!  
****Sorry bout' that. anywhoo, onward!**

* * *

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Shadow or any other Sonic team characters, that is SEGA's job. **_

* * *

He had to do something, after all, he owed it to Eileen and her mom for all of their kindness. Shadow's adrenaline started to flow as his vision grew slightly sharper. All that was in his head now was that he had to save them. He just had to… With that the dark hedgehog hurled himself off the edge of the building, landing on top of the police car.

Before the men had time to react Shadow had already begun fighting the increasing number of men, his breath short and fast. The first couple were easy, armed only with a small club, obviously the rookies of the group. When they swung at him all he had to do was knock them over with a swift kick. Then came the harder people, armed with small pistols.

The ultimate life form smirked slightly, his body a blur as he travelled from person to person, quickly knocking them out. That smirk was wiped off his face as a huge aircraft loomed over the hedgehog, seemingly engulfing the sun. long ropes fell from the ship as men and woman slid down them, clad in body armor and armed with deadly looking assault rifles.

One pointed the barrel of his gun at Shadow. "As a G.U.N. agent, I order you to stand down!"

Shadow frowned slightly. These ones were going to be a little tougher than the last guys. But still, that didn't stop him. "And if I don't?" the hedgehog asked, the small smile returning.

The man nodded at the rest of his team, signaling them to open fire. A barrage of bullets flew at Shadow, who merely jumped, flipping in the air before landing on a lamp post. He then flung himself at the nearest troop, using his head as a springboard to launch himself at the aircraft. Shadow clung to the side of the airship before climbing into a ventilation shaft on the side.

The main G.U.N. agent pulled out his radio, clicking a button on the side and speaking in. "This is Delta Quadrant to aircraft, you have a hostile in your aft ventilation duct, over."

"Roger that Delta Quadrant." The static-y voice emitted from the radio.

Shadow dropped down into a large room with one computer monitor that stretched across a whole wall that showed a video surveillance of the battle that just occurred. The hedgehog quickly looked at the keyboard in front of him, not wanting to see the carnage that he had caused. After a while, Shadow had hacked into main command functions and set a loop in the data leading to the control room so that they would think they were still in control. It was a plan that could buy him just enough time, so that he could take the battle away from any civilians.

The doors behind Shadow burst open as two more G.U.N. officers came charging in, surrounding him. Shadow swore quietly as a muscular figure strolled through the door, a smug look on his face. The other officers parted for him, allowing him to face the hedgehog.

"Shadow the hedgehog. What an interesting name." the man said, his voiced laced with a thick Russian accent.

Shadow furrowed his brow in confusion. "Who are you and how do you know my name?" he growled at the man before him, who merely laughed in response.

"My name is Agent 45. But, since you managed to outfight all of my men, you may call me by my first name, which is Simon. As for your other question, we have found an ally that has proved more… useful than we imagined." The man gave as a response.

Simon… why did that name seem so familiar… the hedgehog thought, not hearing the last part of his answer.

"Now," Simon continued in his Russian accent, "I propose we have a dual ourselves, just you and me." The guards surrounding them all gasped slightly. It was unusual for an agent ranked above 50 to go into a battle alone.

Shadow smiled. " Thought you would never ask." He said, hurling himself at the man.

Simon was faster than he looked though, and he wasn't all just muscles, he had a great battle strategy too. Every one of Shadow's kicks was matched by his arm, and every punch was evaded easily. Faster than the hedgehog could react, Simon swung his fist at him, connecting with Shadow's jaw.

He staggered back, blood dripping from his mouth. "The ultimate life form? Ha! What a joke!" Simon yelled with a rumbling laugh. But as Shadow started to smile, he grew concerned.

"You're not as smart as you seem, are you?" the hedgehog asked Simon without even raising his head.

"What do you mean?" Simon asked, "I am a brilliant strategist, one of the best in the ranks! Of course I am!"

With his head still down and the blood still flowing, Shadow raised an arm, pointing behind the burly commander. "Look behind you." Was all he said.

Simon whipped around, his eyes widening in shock at the large monitor that had a map on it, and a small red dot representing the aircraft. Around them was a large blue expanse, all water.

"You… you rerouted command functions without us knowing? You've been controlling the ship this whole time?" Simon asked the hedgehog, who smiled.

"Not only that, but I've been in control of this battle the whole time. Look around you Simon. Where are we?" Shadow asked the strategist.

For the first time, Simon actually looked around the room. "The engine room…" he said, his Russian accent filled with dread. When he looked back, Shadow was looking straight at him, his red eyes glinting with determination. In his hand was the sliver of the emerald, and it was glowing profoundly.

"Time to see what you can do." Shadow whispered at the fragment before turning around to face the large turbines that sat behind him, closing his eyes and listening to the sound of the large fan blades spinning round and round. He let that sound drown out all other sound, and concentrated on only that.

"Chaos…Blast!" Shadow yelled, his arm outstretched toward the large engines. An yellow flash made its way from his palm to the turbines, causing them to erupt in a ball of flame. "Good luck!" he said, looking over at Simon before dashing out the door.

The strategist snapped out of his trance and began to bark out orders. "All troops, escape to the shuttles immediately! Abandon ship, that's an order!" he yelled at no one in particular. The large mass of G.U.N. officers all made their way to the crew escape pods as Simon walked over to a locked door, calmly punching in a code into the keypad on the wall. The door slid open to reveal a dimly lit circular room with all sorts of buttons and keypads lining the walls and a main viewer in front.

From the pandemonium behind him he pulled two people at random "You, you, with me." He told them as the commander shoved them into the pod. They immediately sat down and started to detach themselves from the main ship as Simon stood in front of the main viewer.

* * *

Shadow was racing down the hallways, looking for an escape from the flames that were slowly licking at his heels. The hedgehog spotted it in the form of a small window in what appeared to be a mess hall, and he didn't hesitate to dash through and kick out the window, shattering it. Luckily, he had planned for this and placed them not too high from the water so he could make an escape without breaking any bones on impact.

He fell through the air and spun around to see the large aircraft bursting into flames behind him, large chunks of debris and escape pods flying out with alarming speed. Shadow fell into the water, and started to swim quickly to distance himself from the plummeting ship. Once he found a piece of shrapnel that was large enough for him to sit on, the hedgehog laid back and watched as the G.U.N. airship fell into the water, creating a huge wall of water to rise up around it.

After Shadow was certain no pods would come shooting at him, he looked back toward the city in the distance and squinted. It was maybe two, three days away, especially since Shadow wasn't a strong swimmer. Despite his various injuries, the hedgehog couldn't help but laugh aloud as he thought of a certain blue hedgehog who would be completely doomed in this situation. As he slowly slipped from consciousness, his last thought was that this world, however weak it may seem, is not something to be trifled with.

* * *

The large rusted metal doors slid open to reveal a dark room with a figure hunched over in the corner, large cuts lacing his figure. Simon barged in fuming, and after a while, turned to the lump in the shadows. "You lied to us!" he began to yell at the figure. "You said that without these Chaos emeralds you speak of, he couldn't use those strange powers of his! Well guess what? He did have one!"

The figure froze. "This is… news to me." Despite the gashes criss-crossing his frame, the voice was still full of anger and malice.

Simon scoffed. "Are you kidding me? You're probably in league with him anyways! That's how you knew where to find him!"

The figure rose, turning his head. "Let me free." He hissed "I will hunt down the hedgehog and I guarantee you, I will not fail."

Simon chewed his lip, deep in thought. He had to catch that hedgehog. "Fine. Consider yourself an agent of G.U.N.. now, what is your name Agent…?"

The figure let out a sickening smile. "Just call me… Black Doom."

* * *

**Oho! The plot just got more interesting eh? And can i hear a three cheers for the longest chapter yet? Again, I'm going to say that this fanfiction has no relation to the Shadow the hedgehog game, if you missed it the first time. Sorry if the fight scenes seemed a bit drab, this is my first time writing one so tell me how I did!**

**Read, review, and spread the word!**

**-that is a dinosaur, signing out!**


	10. A world shattered

**Hia! So I know that this chapter is way late, sorry bout' that. I was rather busy preparing for going back to school and whatnot. But anywhoo, onward!**

* * *

Linda and Eileen sat in a dark alleyway, Eileen sobbing silently as her mother stroked her head affectionately. Elongated shadows of the G.U.N. agents stretched along the walls, renewing the pair's constant fear. Luckily most had given up searching for them and had instead concentrated on taking down Shadow. Linda dared a small peak out, and gasped quietly. Shadow stood surrounded by soldiers, wounds running along his entire body. His eyes were a dull void, unlike his usual eyes, which shined with steely determination and life.

She watched as he easily dispatched all of the officers, one by one, watched as he defeated the G.U.N. agents that came from the airship, and watched as he made his way into the flying behemoth.

'He is truly amazing…' Linda thought to herself as she watched the ship make its way out of the city. There was nothing she could do now but wait and watch. She had never felt so helpless.

Another larger shadow appeared on the wall, slowly growing bigger and bigger as its source grew closer. It was clearly not a human making the shadow, what with its wide and pointed head and tattered robes. Linda tried to scream, tried to make any noise, but found she couldn't as she stared into the red eyes of death itself.

* * *

Shadow swam. He swam as fast as he could for hours on end. He had to get back. Back to the shore. Back to the city. Back to Eileen. Whenever he grew tired, he would lie upon his piece of debris and finger the emerald shard, feeling its power wash over him like waves on a beach. He would then start to swim again, faster than before. Occasionally he would run into some small pieces of singed metal or shattered glass floating atop the water. When he did he had to close his eyes and swim faster. It reminded him of who and what he was: an ultimate weapon.

As the sandy coast of the city grew closer, Shadow let out a sigh of relief. There were no soldiers waiting for him, not even a single policeman. The hedgehog waded to shore, trudging along in the thick sand. He flung the shrapnel aside as he fell over, exhausted from his long journey. He didn't care if anyone found him; he was much too tired to care about anything at the moment.

After a quick rest, Shadow picked himself up, shaking off the sand that had collected on his back. He looked up to the sky to see the moon, a large white sphere in a dark sky. As he looked at the city ahead, he brushed a hand through his quills, letting out a small sigh. Finding Eileen and her mom in a city as large as this would be near impossible! Shadow's eyes widened as he remembered something Linda had said.

'_That Shadow, is the Empire State building, one of the tallest buildings in the world.'_

Shadow smiled as he saw its tapered peak shining like a beacon in the dark. He took off, dodging cars and random pedestrians, ignoring their terrified cries and screams. He never looked back, never taking his eyes off the giant tower that slowly loomed closer. He ducked into a small ally, thumping his hand against his head. He hadn't even thought of a plan of how to get into the building! He lay there for a while, running plans and ideas through his head. He defiantly couldn't sneak in; there were way too many people. There weren't enough handholds to climb up, and besides, someone could spot him too easily. That only left one choice: running. He turned his back to the tower, running for a good half a mile before digging his heels into the ground, stopping with a screech. The ebony hedgehog flipped around, charging at the building before anyone could react. He ran faster than he ever had before, people becoming a blur around him. When he got close, he stuck his leg out, jumping onto the wall while still running. He dashed around halfway up when he started to lose speed. Shadow managed to fling his arms forward, grasping a windowsill as the people below gasped and yelled as they saw him.

Shadow swore quietly as he quickly kicked open the window and jumped inside, landing quietly in what appeared to be a closet. He heard the doorknob rattle as he ducked behind a pile of cleaning chemicals, and a young janitor came in, pushing a cart and singing along to the music playing on his radio. The hedgehog quickly devised a plan and when the man wasn't looking, snuck into a small compartment in the side, cracking the door slightly so he could still see.

The janitor started to push the cart out, not noticing the extra weight, and headed toward the elevator, much to Shadow's dread. He still hadn't gotten over his fear of the contraptions since his experience with them before. As the man pushed the cart in, a small gloved hand popped out of the side of the cart and hit the top story before the janitor could see him. The elevator quickly shot up, the altitude making Shadow's ears pop, before the doors slid open at the observation deck.

The hedgehog climbed out of the cart as the janitor's mouth dropped in surprise. "Thanks for the lift!" was all Shadow said as he jumped out, the doors closing behind him. The janitor sat there for a second, before picking his jaw up off the ground and looking around.

"These chemicals must be getting to me." The janitor concluded as he shook his head and hit the lobby button.

Shadow charged at the wall once again, running to the very top of the empire state building. He clung to the pole at the top with one hand; the other was over his eyes as he scanned the city, looking for any sign of Eileen and Linda. He swore to himself once more. This was no help; he still only saw blurry shapes in the darkness of night.

A ghostly vision appeared in front of Shadow, causing him to lose his grip, falling back down to the observation deck. He slowly picked himself, wincing in pain as he looked at the hologram looming above him.

"How pleasant to see you Shadow. Looking for these two?" Eileen and Linda appeared next to Black Doom, unconscious.

Shadow's eyes narrowed as hatred filled his being. "Let them go you filthy alien slime!" he yelled at the hologram, his hands clenched into fists.

"Ooh, how touching. You actually care for these vile creatures don't you?" Black Doom waved his hands and they disappeared. "Meet me at the times square tomorrow at noon. That is if you care to see them alive." And with that Black Doom vanished into nothing, leaving a dumbstruck Shadow.

* * *

**Hm. I am getting better at writing longer chapters…**

**Anywho, how did you like it? Review and tell me any suggestions or whatnot.**

**That is a dinosaur, signing out!**


	11. My lucky day

**Oh writers block, oh writers block, how I hate you so. Yea, I'm back! Sorry for the slight delay, I've been busy what with going back to school and all. **

**Anywhoo, onward! **

* * *

- Black Doom's point of view

_2 weeks earlier_

I arose from the soft ground beneath me, doubling over instantly. A stream of blood dribbled from my mouth, each drop resulting in a small splatter on the dirt below me. My tattered robes billowed around me as I whipped around, looking for the menace that had somehow evaded me. It was then that I finally found where I was, although the result surprised even me. Around me stretched a golden field of wheat and corn, going off as far as the eye could see in any direction. I looked around the strange place, and to my excitement, saw a small black shape on a nearby hill.

I floated toward the shape, a smile filled with no happiness stretched across my face. I flicked a finger upward and Shadow was lifted in the air, twitching uncontrollably. I could have killed him right then and there. I should have. But something in my dark and twisted mind clicked, and I decided to let him live. Wherever I was, I could still have a little fun while I was here, toying with that hedgehog.

I scooped up the inhibitor rings off the ground, sliding them onto his wrists. They made a small click as they locked in place, and Shadow relaxed as his body loosened up. I stepped back, admiring the wreckage that one hedgehog could do. Chunks of smoldering metal lay smoking in random places, causing me to cringe in anger. Shadow had ruined my plans once again. But this time, I knew that this was the end. One of us would die, the other live. And I didn't plan on dying anytime soon, I knew that the one to fall would be him. It had to be. And so there I left him, awaiting for the one thing I craved most.

The ultimate battle was drawing near.

* * *

I wandered for days and nights, not knowing if there was any civilization in this strange land, or if my search was in vain. I came across roads, long dwindling roads that never seemed to end, but no one was walking along them. As I was brushing past stalks of corn, I came across something rather odd. A large circle of crops had been flattened, and now I stood in the very middle. This is where I met G.U.N.

They came from ropes that seemed to materialize from nowhere. The agents landed silently, all pointing the barrels of their guns straight at me. I whipped around, only to come face to face with a burly man, obviously the leader of this group.

"What do you want?" I hissed at him, but to my surprise the man didn't even flinch at my strange voice.

Instead, the man smiled. "You." Was his short and simple answer.

He raised his hand and at once four needles found their way into my abdomen, making me gasp in pain. Before long, I had passed out, landing in the middle of the circle. The last thing I heard was the man speaking into a small radio on his side.

"Roger that, we'll keep him alive. But just barely." The man sneered as he said this.

My lucky day.

* * *

**Yes, I do realize that this chapter is extremely short. This is because now that I'm explaining the story from Black Doom's point of view, I find I know a lot less about him than Shadow. So excuse the short chapter or two in the upcoming continuation.**

**Please, I run on reviews! Sooo, R&R!**

**-thats a dinosaur signing out! **


	12. My lucky day, Part two

**Alright, I have made an extremely late new year's resolution. My resolution: upload at least one chapter of my story per day. Now I know that this will be very hard, and at some points in time impossible what with my schedule. Also thanks for the new reviews, glad to hear the story hasn't gotten bad!**

**Anywhoo, onward! **

* * *

I awoke in a small stone room, a pile of straw in one corner and something that looked suspiciously like dried blood in the other. One side had no wall and instead was replaced by crisscrossing metal bars and a large locked door. I managed to get to my feet, walking over to the bars. They were cold to the touch, enough to make me draw back and hiss in pain. A sinister laughter echoed through the halls, and I could hear the clacking of shoes on the stone. The muscular man I had seen before appeared in front of me, a triumphant look on his face.

"Do you like our new cages?" he asked. When I didn't answer, he moved on."So, you are an alien, no?" he questioned me.

"It is clear that you are not Mobians, so yes I would assume so." I growled, hating this man more and more every passing second.

"You talk like you didn't mean to come here. Am I correct?" his expression grew suddenly serious.

I decided to go along with him, answering his question. "No, I was unwillingly teleported here."

The man lifted one eyebrow. "Oh really? Why should I believe you when I hear this every day?" he flicked a switch and suddenly I could hear it, the cry of millions calling for help.

"I swear, I didn't mean to come here!"

"Please sir, let me leave!"

"It was an accident, I didn't mean to!"

I fell back, shocked by how many voices there were. "T-there all aliens?" I asked the man, who merely shook his head in response.

"Over two million imprisoned here." He said, flipping the switch once again. The sound ceased, and I lay back, clutching my head. "Now," he continued, "How do you claim you got here?"

I drummed my fingers against the floor, slightly annoyed. How dare he imprison me? But, just maybe, my captor might become my greatest asset. "Your name?" I hissed.

The man looked slightly peeved himself. "Simon." Was his brief answer.

I let a dark smile stretch across my face, and began to talk.

* * *

Simon smashed his hand down on the long mahogany table, causing the other generals around him to mutter slightly, a worried look on his face.

"You say our mission is to hunt down every one of these vile alien scum, and yet we hear of one and you turn your head? It's an outrage! A scandal!" he proceeded to yell at an elderly man who sat at the head of the table, obviously the man in charge.

"I want to hunt down these aliens as much as you do," the man started to rasp. "But it's not the mission that worries me; it's the source you got it from."

"But his story checks out!" Simon cried out, causing the man to shake his head.

"No, and that's final agent 45." And with that he stood up, a long red cape unfurling from his shoulders. He swept out of the room, causing everyone to get up and dismiss themselves.

Simon sat there, ignoring the other generals stares, his gaze focused on one spot on the table. If only he could convince that old codger to listen to him! But, if he did find proof that this alien existed, then the old man would have to believe him! And with a smirk, he got up quickly, his hand falling in place next to the gun he carried with him always.

He walked down twisting corridors, ignoring the screams and pleads of the captured aliens. When some people first heard that sound, it would make them crack. Some would simple brush past it, trying their best to ignore it. But no matter how evil of a person you were, the sound of millions imprisoned would still get to you. You could push it away, or use it as a motivation.

Simon reached my cell, and I glanced up at him, my red eyes casting an eerie glow in the dark room. "So? Are they letting us find him?" I asked him, making him shake his head.

"No." he looked away. "But I am." The door to my prison swung open, and I felt two cuffs on my arms snap together, held by a magnetic seal. He dragged me out of the cage, and I inhaled sharply, hearing the cries of the other prisoners once more.

"How do you just ignore that?" I asked quietly, my voice full with more anger than ever.

He sighed. "You don't." he said with a small shrug of his shoulders."

We snuck past guards, robots, and just about anything else that came in our way before we reached a large circular room, in the middle a control panel jutting out of the floor. I looked around casually as Simon marched up to the panel, punching a few buttons violently. There was a quick flash of bright light, and when it died down, we were back in the place I was captured.I doubled over, causing Simon to glance back lazily.

"How do you stand that?" I wheezed, completely out of breath.

"That you learn to get used to. We use it to go where our missions take us." He said, looking back ahead.

I gasped slightly, and my head snapped up. "This way." Was all I said, taking off at a fast pace toward the setting sun. Simon jogged next to me, looking confused.

"How can you tell?" he asked me.

"Just trust me; I know what I'm doing. I've hunted this alien down countless times before."

And with that we arrived at a large hill, and at the top rested a small bi-plane that had two passengers in it, and the younger one was climbing out. That's when we both saw it, a small black figure on an outcropping of the hill.

"That's him, isn't it?" Simon asked me, pulling out a camera and taking a few shots of him.

"Yes." Was all I answered, lifting my palms.

"Is that…" Simon trailed off, squinting at the two humans with the alien. His eyes grew wide. "No…"

Around me burst a ring of flames that consumed the dry husks of the corn greedily, spreading beyond me and Simon, toward the hill. I grabbed Simon's wrist, hitting some small buttons on his wristband. The flash of white light came back, and this time we ended up back in the circular room, both of us leaning against a wall.

"You idiot!" Simon yelled at me. "You might of killed those two humans!"

"No." I shook my head. "He got them out. Besides, you would have been killed if you faced him alone. Now you have proof that he exists. You have pictures of Shadow the Hedgehog."

* * *

**Hm. Reading this I realize that I really should have the category as Angst/action. Oh well.  
Whoo! Long chapter!**

**Anywhoo, R&R!**

**-that's a dinosaur, signing out!**


	13. My lucky day, Part three

**Ok, I kinda already broke my resolution. This chapter took a while to write, and I have school now…**

**Anywhoo, onward! **

* * *

The old man at the head of the table drummed his fingers against his armrest. All the generals except Simon sat at the long table, waiting for said man to arrive. Finally the old man slammed his fist down, causing the glasses of water at every seat to topple over, spilling their contents.

"It appears that Agent 45 will not be joining us today, so let's begin." He started, but was interrupted by the doors flying open.

Simon marched in, a smug look on his face. "You wanted proof, old man? Well here you go!" he tapped a few buttons on his wristband and a picture projected itself up onto the wall. A black hedgehog stood on an outcropping of a hill, looking into the sunset. There were murmurs of disbelief from the generals around the table while the old man frowned, clearly surprised that the prisoner had told the truth.

After a long pause, the old man spoke. "Find him. Bring a small team and hunt it down."

A smile appeared on Simon's face. "Gladly sir!" As he marched out, the old man couldn't help but think something was off about all this.

But nevertheless Simon found himself gathering a group of men, including me, and teleported straight to the fields I had tried to set fire to. Each of the men was clad with binoculars, and four of the men held me back, four long metal rods attached to a collar around his neck. But I just sat there, unusually quiet, my head hung low. I already knew how this would end. I knew how it all would end.

It would end in death and bloodshed.

But instead of warning them all I just sat there, the clock to our imminent doom ticking away carelessly.

"I see him!" Simon hissed, beckoning the other soldiers closer. They all gathered around the general, peering through the tall crops to see Shadow pushing a large box into a moving van. The soldiers all whispered to each other in confusion, wondering what an alien was doing with a moving van.

But when a tall figure came out of the house, everyone was silent.

"No…" Simon whispered in a hoarse voice. He then grew silent once more as he looked upon his wife having a conversation with Shadow. He stumbled back, his eyes wide with shock. "We have to go back, think up a new plan." He commanded his troops, punching in the coordinates for G.U.N. base.

Later I stood next to Simon, who was explaining to the old man what had happened. The old man shook his head, murmuring to himself. "How disappointing…"

And so without further ado I was escorted back into my cage, and shoved in, the lock sliding into place behind me. Then I waited for Simon, knowing he would need my guidance again. He was like a lost sheep, and I was the shepherd, leading him to the slaughter.

I was right, of course. He did come. But this time he seemed… different. His words were slightly slurred, and he held a long sword in one hand. In the other he clutched an empty bottle, one which I presumed to be a drained liquor container. He flung open the door, not bothering to close it behind him. As he drew the sword back, I cringed. You can't kill me, I'm pure evil. But you can hurt me quite a bit.

* * *

_One week later_

I've been in this hole for a little over a week now. After Simon's drunken attack on me, I had been bandaged up slightly and was put back in my cage. I hadn't seen him since, I hadn't seen anyone. Until today, that is.

Simon walked slowly up to my cage, not making eye contact and speaking very quietly.

"Come with me." was all he said, opening the door slowly. "We think we found him."

This caught my attention, and I got up, my knees buckling from the lacerations across my chest. I staggered over to the door, shoving Simons hand off my shoulder. Neither of us talked as we made the now familiar path down to the teleporter room. Now I can pretend like the screaming doesn't bother me, and I can handle the rough teleport, which lands us in an empty alleyway.

Simon led me up to the back of a large brick building, and pointed to the top. "Is he in there?" he questioned me, his steely glare burning into the side of my head.

I nodded slightly; I could sense that he was on the roof, looking over. "Go around front, there's something you might not like going on." I advised him.

He gave me a cautious look, then proceeded to go around the building. In the front he saw his wife and child being arrested by the NYPD. He started to lurch forward, but I managed to catch him and slam him against the wall behind me.

I then devised a cunning plan, one that might get me out of this G.U.N. camp once and for all. "You don't understand," I began, "Shadow is holding them hostage. The police are arresting them for their own protection. Go back to your base and plan a strike, but be quick, Shadow doesn't dawdle around."

Simon nodded, absorbing the lies I was feeding to him. He started to put in the coordinates for base, and when he was about to hit the teleport button, I pushed him away from me, a dark smile on my face as I hit the teleport button for him. He vanished in a dark cloud, a shocked expression on his face.

I was free once more.

I saw Shadow fighting the police and couldn't help but roll my eyes. He is quite naïve at times. I strolled through the growing crowd of police, walking faster and faster toward an alleyway. I walked down it, my glowing eyes casting eerie shadows on the walls. I heard a small whimpering, and I turned a corner to come face to face with the lady who had been housing Shadow.

I laughed as I swung my hand, striking her until she fell unconscious. I looked over head to see a large airship flying overhead, obviously from G.U.N.

It was all going according to plan.

* * *

**Hm, I actually liked writing from Black Dooms point of view. But, all fun must come to an end, and I fear this story is reaching its. This is the final showdown.**

**Or is it?**

**-That's a dinosaur, signing out.**


	14. Rellet the Ultimate

**So, I am back! Yessir, and I'm finally writing the battle between Black Doom and Shadow!**

**...you have no idea how long I have waited for this.**

**So, without further ado, onward!**

* * *

_Present day_

Shadow sat on the roof of one of the tallest buildings in New York and waited. A cool breeze came along, making his quills stand on end. He could feel the adrenaline flowing through his veins as he watched the sun make its gradual assent over the horizon. The dark hedgehog picked himself up, walking over to the elevator. He didn't care if people saw him. It wouldn't matter soon anyways.

He punched the lobby button as the elevator shot down, Shadow its only inhabitant. He ignored the screams of terror as he strode out the front door and into the streets. He ignored the cars as they came to a screeching halt around him. He ignored everything, except the one thought running through his adrenaline pumped mind: I have to save them.

* * *

In the middle of Times Square there stood a mighty fountain, the main centerpiece of tourist's attractions. Shadow sat atop one of the many buildings around it, waiting for something to happen.  
And something did.

A large explosion caused said fountain to begin to topple over, hitting the ground with a formidable crash. Shadow jumped to his feet, running down the side of the building and pushing his way through the growing crowd of people trying to get away from the destruction.

Suddenly, without warning, everything froze. Birds hung, suspended in midair, and people were stopped in mid-step. Everything froze besides Shadow.

"What in the name of-" Shadow was cut off as a hand came out of nowhere, connecting with his jaw and sending him flying.

An eerie laugh that was all too familiar to Shadow reverberated throughout Times Square. "You came. I'm not surprised. From what I saw, you've grown quite fond of these humans, haven't you?"

Shadow could now see Black Doom, and could see his hand holding Eileen and her mom, who were both unconscious. "Let them go!" he yelled, wiping blood from his mouth. He had forgotten how strong Black Doom was and had lowered his guard slightly.

Shadow charged the alien, rolling underneath him and delivering a strong kick to his back. Black Doom hissed in pain, the small rockets under Shadow's shoes singeing his back slightly. Black Doom then spun around, the talons on his fingers sliding against Shadow's stomach, leaving a long red tear in the skin. The black hedgehog flipped back, wincing in pain as blood flowed from his wounds. With a flick of his finger, Black Doom raised a car next to him, flinging it at his nemesis. Shadow readied himself, jumping at just the right time to land on the car and vault off of it, flinging himself at the alien.

Black Doom was flung back, crashing into a building behind him. Shadow allowed himself a small smile; it felt good to finally get back at the one who had caused him so much grief. But the smile was quickly replaced by a frown as he saw Black Doom climb out of the rubble, holding in one hand a large black sword. The hilt was a dark purple, and the black blade had a large and wicked looking hood on the end, like a crescent moon. It seemed to radiate darkness, and as Shadow looked into it, he felt as though his very life was being drained of him.

Black Doom gave him a dark smile, seeing Shadow's worried look. "Don't you like it? It's a new addition to my arsenal. But here's the kicker, it's made of the souls of all the people I've killed." Shadow's eyes widened at this. "And I plan to add yours to the collection!" Black Doom yelled as he thrust the sword in Shadow's direction.

Shadow barely had enough time to duck out of the way of the sword, but he made it. Or so he thought. The hedgehog felt a slight tugging on his arm, and dared a small look back. He could see the tip of the sword poking out the other side of his arm, its black pallor laced with the crimson stains of his own blood.

He quickly pulled his arm away, the residual effects of the soul sucking sword quickly taking its toll on Shadow. He felt slightly groggy, as if he had just woken up. He looked up in time to see the sword swinging down at him once more, followed by a maniacal laugh. There was no way for Shadow to dodge the blow in his current condition, so instead he raised his arm instinctively, thinking it may soften the blow somehow.

The dark sword connected instead with his inhibitor rings, creating a horrible screaming noise, enough to make an ordinary human's eardrums burst. Light shot out of the ring on Shadow's arm, and darkness out of Black Dooms sword. The power was equally matched, and so as a result, both of the aliens were flung back, skidding along the ground.

Black Doom picked himself up, swearing quietly. Shadow, however, just laid there, his breathing shallow and ragged, and a puddle of blood collecting around him from his various wounds. Black Doom laughed slightly. In his eyes, the battle was over, and he was the sole victor.

But in Shadow's mind, something entirely different was happening.

* * *

Shadow awoke, surrounded by darkness. He called out, but to no avail. All he could hear was his own breathing echoing over and over again. A small pale blue light started to flicker in front of him, causing Shadow to jump back. The flicker shaped itself into a blob, then from that into a general humanoid shape. The light then started to warp, almost like it was confused. It then took the shape of a hedgehog, the Morbius kind, not the earth's.

Shadow cocked his head, obviously slightly confused himself. The light followed his movements, tilting it's head in the opposite direction. The hedgehog drew back, surprised at the beings actions. The light's eyes slowly slid open, revealing black vortexes that seemed to stare into Shadow's very soul.

The creature suddenly reared it's head, making a roar that would rival even perfect chaos. It then charged at Shadow, but as he raised his arms in defense, the light passed right through him. From there on out all that he knew was that he had power. Raw, unknown, power.

Then he awoke.

* * *

A flash of light enveloped Shadow, causing Black Doom to frown slightly. A hazy silhouette appeared in the middle of the chaos, a calm smirk on its face.

As the dust settled, Black Doom inhaled sharply. Before him stood a hedgehog that radiated power, not at all like Shadow. It's fur was a pale blue, with black streaks running through its quills. Its eyes, a dark crystal.

Black Doom merely laughed. "This is nothing more than a petty trick!"

He swung his dark sword at the creature, only to gasp slightly as the thing held it back with a single finger.

"Chaos control!" it yelled, disappearing instantaneously.

Black Doom whipped back and forth, looking for any sign of the creature. He swore quietly as he scanned the debris, looking for any sign of movement.

The Shadow-creature re-appeared above Black Doom, pointing down lazily with one finger.

"Chaos Blast!" It yelled, sending a ball of pure energy spiraling toward the alien.

The resulting explosion engulfed most of Times Square as Black Doom was flung back like a rag doll, skidding to a halt at the Shadow-Creatures feet.

"What are you?" Black Doom asked the pale hedgehog, who looked down with his dark eyes.

"I am Rellet the ultimate." Was all it said as the light engulfed him once more.

Shadow fell to his knees, gasping for air as his quills returned to their normal dark shade. Once he had regained his composure, he walked over to Black Doom, the injuries he had sustained completely healed.

"Now," Shadow began "tell me why my chaos emerald is like this" He pulled the lifeless emerald out of his quills "and why yours is shattered and like this." he said as he pulled out the glowing shard of the pale emerald.

Black Doom looked genuinely disturbed. He then pulled a colorless emerald out of the folds of his cloak, Its dull gray pallor matching Shadow's.

"That's not my emerald." Black Doom stated, his eyes staring straight into Shadow's.

Shadow swore quietly as he looked down at the piece of emerald in his hand. "Then what is-"

he was cut off by a sharp RAT-A-TAT-TAT as Black Doom's back arched, his eyes wide.

behind him stood Simon, clutching a large gun in one hand and in the other, a pale blue emerald that had a small chip missing off the side.

* * *

**Ok so I might of lied a bit about this being the end. It actually still has quite a bit to go. Hope your happy bout that...**

**Thats a dinosaur, signing out!**


	15. The coming of the emeralds end

**I literally re-did this chapter three times. By then, I went up to my room, slammed my head into my pillow, and proceeded to yell...  
Nononononononononononononono nononononononononono!**

**No. I didn't like the ending, it had too much of a loose and confusing end. And so I went back and re-wrote it one more time. And here it is.**

**I did add-on a little to the end of the last chapter, so if you just skipped straight to this one, go back and read the ending again. If you don't you might get a small shock about what's coming up here.**

_**Disclaimer: (this is long overdue…) I do not own Shadow or any of the associated SONIC TEAM characters, except Rellet. He I did make up. **_

**Anywhoo, Onward!**

* * *

The dull emerald fell at Shadow's feet as Black Doom's body fell to the ground, dead. Shadow's eyes flitted upwards and widened at the sight of what was in Simon's hand.

A pale blue chaos emerald.

"You monster!" Simon began to yell. "You kidnapped my wife, my child!" now he started to sob, the emerald slowly growing brighter and brighter.

Shadow lowered his guard slightly, it was obvious the man was in no state to attack at this moment. "What on earth are you talking about?" he asked Simon, shaking his head slowly.

"Linda and Eileen! You kept them hostage!" he yelled, his voice trembling slightly.

Then it clicked. Shadow remembered Eileen telling him about Simon, about how he was drafted when he was young.

"You've got it all wrong," Shadow tried to explain. "Black Doom was the one holding them hostage, they were being kind and trying to find a way home for me."

But by now it was too late. Simon was blinded by hatred, and nothing could stop him. He lifted the gun in his left hand, clutching the emerald so hard that small rivets of blood were starting to flow from his hand. Simon's finger squeezed the trigger, catching Shadow off guard. He barely had time to jump up, landing behind Simon. But Simon was blinded by anger, and he couldn't react in time to dodge Shadow's foot which came spiraling up, connecting with the hand holding the gun. The projectile weapon fell to the ground, followed by Simon, who had been knocked over by the force of the blow.

"Now explain where you got that." Shadow gestured in the direction of the emerald, which was still in Simon's grasp.

Simon started to laugh slowly, a sharp and maniacal laugh that seemed to never end, echoing over and over in the quiet square. "This," he began, "is a chaos emerald. It's from ancient folklore, but I knew the truth. I knew it was real. So I searched day and night for it, following instructions from ancient texts. Legend says an all-powerful being is held in these emeralds, one who goes by the name of Rellet." The emerald grew brighter at the mention of his name. "The raw power inside is killing me you know." he proceeded to say.

Shadow shook his head. "Please," he said, dropping to one knee so he could be at eye level with him. "hand it here. I can control the power in the emerald. Besides, it may be my only shot at getting home."

Neither of them noticed the emerald steadily growing brighter and brighter, and an eerie blue glow ebbing its way up Simon's arm and slowly creeping up his neck. when Shadow looked down, however, it was too late. the light had already reached Simon's head, and he crumpled instantly. Shadow, concerned now that he knew that this was Eileen's father, quickly pried the stone out of his grasp, it was clear it was killing him.

the instance it left his hand, Shadow felt a surge of power rush into him, and there was a flash of light. The commotion that Black Doom had caused resumed, and people looked around, confused as to what had happened. The hedgehog glanced down at the emerald in his palm, and back up at the gathering crowd. Then it hit him. Eileen.

She had to be in the crowd somewhere, Black Doom had most likely brought her along to make her and her mother watch the pandemonium. He scanned the cluster of people time and time again, looking for the long blonde hair that she had, looking for Maria. But it seemed she wasn't there. Shadow hung his head and swore quietly, a small tear landing on the ground.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw her.

Shadow's head snapped to the side, and he saw Eileen standing, grinning ear to ear. They both ran at each other, colliding in a warm embrace. There was no words, only tears of joy. Shadow drew back, happier than he had ever felt before, and beckoned Linda over. But Linda wasn't looking at Shadow or Eileen. He followed her gaze and gasped slightly.

Simon staggered to his feet, a circle of people gathering around him. After all, it's not every day you see a high ranking G.U.N. agent. Linda slowly walked over to him, a perfectly neutral expression on her face.

"L-linda?" he stuttered, his eyelids fluttering slightly. "W-what happened? All I remember is a huge light..."

A tear slid from Linda's eye, wetting her shirt. She then hugged him fiercely, sobbing quietly.

Shadow turned back to Eileen, holding the Chaos emerald up. "Look at what I got." he shook it back and forth as Eileen gasped.

"Shadow, is that-" Her smile slowly turned into a frown as her eyes began to water.

Shadow furrowed his brow. "Eileen what's wrong? You were happy just a second ago."

"Shadow... This means you have to go now doesn't it?" Shadow lowered his head, looking at the emerald. He hadnt thought about this.

"Dont worry Eileen, I'll find a way to travel between the worlds, I promise."

A tear from Eileen splashed on the emerald, causing it to glow even brighter, the light soon enveloping Shadow once more.

* * *

"Awaken, Shadow the Hedgehog." a deep voice echoed in Shadow's ears.

He got up, rubbing his head slightly. Looking around, he found himself in the same dark place as before.

Rellet stood before him, his hand outstretched in Shadow's direction. Shadow accepted it, and was pulled up by Rellet's suprising strength.

"Who are you? And where are we?" Shadow questioned the mysterious pale hedgehog, but he merely shook his head.

"I can not answer that. Only you can. But let me tell you about the two worlds that you have inhabited. This world, Earth, is actually connected spiritually with Morbius, and as are the people. That man, Simon, is the one that goes by the name of Knuckles in your universe."

Shadow drew back, surprised. "You mean to say that everyone on this planet is someone from Morbius?" his thoughts instantly wandered to his greatest foes, Eggman... Sonic... even Mephiles...

Rellet nodded. "Exactly. And this Eileen girl, you and her are spiritually connected in no way that I've ever seen before. But I do think you can guess who she really is."

Shadow paled. The first thing he had ever said to Eileen. "Maria." he said, his mouth dry.

Rellet smiled. "And I'm not sure how to break this to you, but you can not go home just yet. My power alone can not make a jump of time and space that large. I will need help from my companions."

Shadow's head snapped up, his eyes wide. "What are you saying?"

Two emeralds faded into existence around Rellet, one a dark purple and one completely black.

"You must first find my closest companion, Hope." the emerald slowly shaped itself into a strikingly purple rabbit.

"What about the black one?" Shadow asked. He could feel something in the dark crystal, like it was pulling him in.

Rellet looked disturbed. "That will be clear in time." the white light started to emanate from Rellet once more, and Shadow reached out.

"Wait how will I find it?" He yelled, but Rellet only smiled as he dissapered.

* * *

Shadow awoke, stumbling back from Eileen.

"Shadow?" Eileen asked, wiping away her tears.

Shadow laughed softly. "Don't worry Eileen, I'm not going anywhere soon."

_End of Part I_

* * *

**Ah, much better than my first attempt.**

**Haha! Yup, as I was writing this chapter, I said to myself, Dinosaur, you should make this into a three part story. **

**And so I did.**

**After all, if I didn't this would be an at least 35 chapter story so...**

**Shadow will return in Searching for hope, so go to my profile and read it.**

**please.**

**On my first take at this, it was a short chapter, so yay! **

**Goodbye, live life to its extent, and Adios for now!**

**-That's a dinosaur, signing out.**


End file.
